Transfer News: Chelsea handed a blow in pursuit of Joska Gvardiol
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea could be handed a blow in the pursuit of talented Bundesliga centre-back Joska Gvardiol with Manchester United and Tottenham also said to be pursuing a deal for the talented defender.
Gvardiol joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in 2021 and has since then gone on to build a name for himself as one of the most talented young defenders in the Bundesliga. Ever since he broke into the first team at Zagreb, the Croatians’ rise has been meteoric.
The 20-year-old talented defender has played 45 times for the Bundesliga outfit this season scoring two goals and providing three assists across all competitions. Primarily a centre-back, Gvardiol can also do a great job even as a left-back.
Chelsea have been credited with an interest in the Croatian for quite some time now but it looks like they could be handed a transfer blow with Manchester United and Tottenham also said to join the race for the centre-back starlet.
Many options?
Signing Gvardiol makes a lot of sense for the Blues considering the fact that he is a player who can provide them with multiple options.
Thomas Tuchel prefers to play with a back three at Chelsea and the left centre-back position is something that Antonio Rudiger has made his own over the past 18 months. In his absence, Gvardiol can step in perfectly to play a similar role to the German.
The 20-year-old can also provide cover at left wing-back if needed if the Blues find themselves muddled with injury issues just like they did this season. Regardless, the Croatian will primarily have to be signed to strengthen our central defence.
It is no longer a secret that the Blues are set to be extremely short of options at centre-back going into next season and it remains to be seen how they decide to cope with the situation. Signing in the market is the need of the hour and Gvardiol will be a good start.
More Chelsea News
- Chelsea join Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus
- Presnel Kimpembe opens up on future plans amidst Chelsea interest
- Chelsea dealt blow as Manchester United join Josko Gvardiol transfer race
The Croatian, at his age and with the versatility that he could offer us, seems like a no-brainer. It remains to be seen if the Blues pull the trigger though.